Military combat vehicles with manned and unmanned combat platforms which can be elevated have been suggested in the early seventies in several variants. Eg. DE-Osen 22 05 826, 2357805, 2945278, which show light vehicles without armor, with raiseable unmanned platforms or U.S. Pat. No. 3757635, DE-OSen 2622995 and 3524244 as well as DE-PS 3120338 which shows an armored combat vehicle with a raisable unmanned combat platform plus an additional raiseable set of visionics. These three basic types which have evolved during the last few years have since been further developed and refined. All of these are based on the following military recognition: "with height one gains depth". Furthermore, they offer the possibility to keep the vehicle and crew under cover and expose only the weapons and observation system to direct enemy fire.
The main purpose of vehicles with raiseable combat platforms is seen in their deployment against massively attacking tanks and their possible helicopter-escorts. For this reason armored, and preferably chain equipped, vehicles are being proposed for carriers of combat platforms and their elevating mechanisms. For instance, Hasso Erb, "extendible anti-tank and observation platform" in "Armada International" 6/1982 suggests to re-equip combat tanks or similar slated for retirement, for this purpose.